Budget Amendment ID: FY2026-S3-924

EPS 924

Human Trafficking Awareness Training

Messrs. Montigny and O'Connor, Mrs. Dooner and Ms. Edwards moved that the proposed new text be amended by adding the following sections:-

"SECTION X.  Section 30 of chapter 23B is hereby amended by inserting at the end of subsection (F) the following sentence:-

Every hotel or motel under contract to provide emergency housing assistance under this section shall establish a human trafficking recognition training program and require every employee of such accommodation to participate in said program pursuant to section 6C of chapter 140.

SECTION XX.  Chapter 140 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2022 Official Edition, is hereby amended by inserting after section 6B the following section:-

Section 6C.

(a) For the purposes of this section, 'qualified accommodation' shall mean a hotel, motel, lodging house or bed and breakfast establishment, as defined in section 1 of chapter 64G, except for accommodations exempt from the room occupancy excise pursuant to section 2 of said chapter 64G.

(b) Every licensed innholder operating a qualified accommodation shall establish a human trafficking recognition training program, and shall require every employee of such accommodation to participate in the training program. The training program shall be approved by the attorney general, and may be provided by organizations or providers approved by the attorney general pursuant to subsection (d). The training program may be developed by a federal, state or nonprofit organization, and may be incorporated as part of the innholder’s existing training programs. Human trafficking recognition training programs required pursuant to this section shall include, but shall not be limited to training relative to:

(i) the nature of human trafficking;

(ii) how human trafficking is defined pursuant to the federal Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000;

(iii) how to identify victims of human trafficking, as defined pursuant to the federal Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000;

(iv) how to appropriately respond to a known or suspected case of human trafficking, as defined pursuant to the federal Victims of Trafficking and Violence Protection Act of 2000.

(c) Every licensed innholder operating a qualified accommodation shall post in plain view, in the lobby and in any public restroom of such qualified accommodation, a written notice developed by the attorney general, which shall include the national human trafficking hotline telephone number.

(d) The attorney general shall:

(i) make available a list of approved human trafficking recognition training programs for use by a licensed innholder operating a qualified accommodation pursuant to this section;

(ii) develop a standard written notice to be posted in every qualified accommodation pursuant to subsection (c).

(e) The attorney general shall promulgate regulations necessary to implement this section.".